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Boring
Carving
Comments
Common Names
Countries of Distribution
Cutting Resistance
Distribution Overview
Drying Defects
Ease of Drying
Environmental Profile
Gluing
Grain
Heartwood Color
Kiln Drying Rate
Luster
Mortising
Moulding
Nailing
Natural Durability
Numerical Data
Odor
Planing
Polishing
References
Regions of Distribution
Resistance to Impregnation
Response to Hand Tools
Routing & Recessing
Sanding
Sapwood Color
Scientific Name
Texture
Trade Name
Tree Size
Turning
Veneering Qualities

Scientific Name
Sarcocephalus cordatus

Trade Name
Canary cheesewood

Family Name

Wood Image 1

Common Names
Canary cheesewood

Regions of Distribution
Oceania and S.E. Asia

Countries of Distribution  [VIEW MAP]
India, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka

Environmental Profile
Abundant/Secure
Status has not been officially assessed


Distribution Overview
The genus Sarcocephalus is well represented in southeast Asia, including the Philippines and the Malay Peninsula. S. cordatus occurs in the Philippines, India, Burma, and Sri Lanka.

Heartwood Color
Brown
Purple
Red
Black
Green/grey
Orange-Yellow or saffron-yellow
Orange-Red
Loses brightness after prolonged exposure


Sapwood Color
White
Yellow
Brown
Pink
Green/Grey
Red
Not distinct from heartwood


Grain
Interlocked

Shallowly interlocked
Broad stripe on quartersawn surfaces


Texture
Fine
Medium
Moderately fine to slightly coarse


Luster
Low
Medium


Natural Durability
Susceptible to insect attack
Moderately durable
Resistant to marine borers
Resistant to powder post beetles
Resistant to termites
Very durable
Durable
Non-resistant to termites
Perishable
Non-durable
Low natural resistance to decay when in contact with the ground
Deteriorates rapidly when in contact with ground


Odor
Has an odor
No distinct odor or taste


Drying Defects
Splitting
Checking


Ease of Drying
Fairly Easy
Rapidly
Seasons with little degrade
Liable to stain


Kiln Drying Rate
Naturally dries quickly
Drying rate is fairly rapid to fast


Tree Size
Tree height is 30-40 m
Bole length is 20-30 m
Trunk diameter is 100-150 cm
Sapwood width is 0-5 cm
Tree height is 40-50 m


Trees are small to medium-sized,

Comments
Medicinal purposes

Yield edible fruit

Boring
Fairly easy to very easy
Fairly difficult to very difficult
Fair to good results


Carving
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Cutting Resistance
Easy to saw
Moderate to saw
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult to saw
Easy to saw


Compared to that of cheese
Known in Australia as Canary cheesewood, wood produced by S. cordatus is highly regarded for its saffron-yellow color

Gluing
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Easy to Very Easy


Mortising
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Fair to Good Results


Moulding
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Nailing
Pre-Boring Recommended
Poor to Very Poor Results


Planing
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult
Very Good to Excellent Results


Resistance to Impregnation
Resistant heartwood
Permeable sapwood
Resistant sapwood


Response to Hand Tools
Easy to Work
Responds Readily
Works in most operations without difficulty to produce a clean finish
Highly suitable for carving
Excellent turning qualitites


Routing & Recessing
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Sanding
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fair to Good Results


Turning
Fairly Easy to Very Easy
Fair to Good Results
Poor to Very Poor Results
Very Good to Excellent Results
Fairly Difficult to Very Difficult


Veneering Qualities
Difficult to veneer


Polishing
Fair to Good Results
Poor to Very Poor Results


Numerical Data
ItemGreenDryEnglish

References
Desch, H. E. 1954. Manual of Malayan Timbers - Volume II. Malayan Forest Records, No. 15. Malaya Publishing House Ltd., Singapore.

Howard, A.L. 1920. A Manual of the Timbers of the World:Their Characteristics and Uses, Third Edition. McMillan and Co., London, 751 pp.

Reyes, L.J. 1938. Philippine Woods. Department of Agriculture and Commerce, Technical Bulletin 7, Commonwealth of the Philippines, Bureau of Printing, Manila.